Folding table



April 9, 1935. F. FECK 1,997,182

FOLDING TABLE Filed July 27, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l F. PECK FOLDING TABLEApril 9, 1935.

Filed July 27, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 ParhteEi Apr. 9, 1935 UNlTEDTSITATE.

,, FOLDING TABLE 7 Frank Pooh-Colorado Springs, Colo.

i I 4 Claims. This invention relates to folding tables, itsprimaryobject being to provide a table which when not in use may be folded socompactly that, with reference to its normal extent, it'will occupy acomparatively verysmallspace. I

A further object of the invention is toprovide a foldable or collapsiblestructure which may be adjusted to provide tables of differentsuperficial dimensions, and still other objects reside in'novelconstructions and in novel combinations and arrangements of parts, bywhich simplicity of construction is combined with strength, stability,and practicabilityin use. i V

An embodiment of -my invention has been .shown in the accompanying.drawings the several views of which,like parts are similarly designatedand in which, 7 o p 1 Figure v1 is a partiallybroken plan viewof thetable. V i

,Figur.e;2,, a partially sectional side elevation of thesame. j V

Figure 3, a transverse vertical section of the upper portion oftabletaken on the line 3% .of Figure 1.

Figure 4, asectional view showing a modificationin which the table top*isj 'permanently connected to tliesupporting frame, the top being'inits normal horizontal position.

Figure '5, a similar view' showing the top in a suspended position whenthestructure isin' a folded or collapsed condition. w l

Figure 6 is a perspective view of'theleg 'supported folding'frame of thetable.

Figure 7, a perspective view of the framein a partially collapsedcondition.

Figure 8, a perspective View of complete folded condition, and

Figure 9, a perspective view of a portion of a table made in accordancewith the modification illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

Referring further to the drawings, the table as shown in Figures 1 to 3and 6 to 8, comprises three separate elements, namely; a foldingsupporting frame A, a folding top B, and a folding brace C.

The folding top is composed of two sections 5,

each having two leaves 6 hinged together as at l; and each having at itsunderside lengthwise and transversely extending cleats 8 and 9, whichfit inside the frame as will hereinafter be described, and therebystabilize the structure in its assembled state.

The table sections have at their abutting ends dowel-pins 2| andcorrespondingly formed sockets 22 fitting one within the other. 7

the frame in its 7 Application July 27, 1933, Serial No. 682,445

The supporting frame comprises legs l0 rigidly connected in pairsbytransverse frame-rails ;l2.

ends of the supporting structure, are connected by side rails, eachcomposedof hingedly connected The pairsof connected legs, whichconstitute the, f

are ,foldably connected atltheir outer ends, di-

.rectly to one of theends of the structure and to the stud of theopposite endof the same, respectively, as by means of hinges l1 and 18.i

The hinges 18 which connect the members I4 of the side rails to thestuds l5 have angular extensions which embrace the adjacent legs of theends .of the support, for the purpose of connect: ing the studs to thejlegs, in a manner'whichre enforces the structure; and the hinges I!.have similar extensions also for the purpose of reenforcement.

Ill

The brace-element of the table comprisestwo members is and 20 centrallypivoted togetheras at 23, 'The longitudinal member I9 is notched at itsends'to fit in seats 24, fastened centrally of -and'upon theinside oftheend rails 'l2, and the transverse member 20 fits between the siderails of the frame, when the members are at right angles to each otherll The brace-element thus holds the'side rails against accidentalcollapse, when the supportin structure is in its normal, extended"condition i. -3 The top of the table, in its normal condition,

' is placed upon the supporting structure with its cleats 9 and 8 inengagement with the end-rails and the side-rails respectivelm'so that itis rigidly held against displacement.

The elements of the table thus assembled, provide a structure so stableand rigid as to favorably ,compare with a table of the usual solid bersare placed in alinement by turning one about its-pivot with relation tothe other.

Finally the supporting frame is'collapsed by I moving the members l3 andM of the side rails inwardly, about. the hinges l6, l1 and I8, which,alined members ,I3a, Ma and Ba.

ure 1, except as otherwise noted. struction shown the hinges 25 are eachcomposed of five blades hingedv togethenthe outer blades end parts railsas shown in Figure 8.

It follows that the length of the side-members of the frame is notrestricted by the length of the end-members of the same, so that whilethe frame in its collapsed condition is compact to the extreme, it is inits extended state, sum-,1

ciently long to support atop of a length suitable for use as a largedining room table, or asalibrary or clirectors-room table.

; The table may be further extendedby joining two or more frames of thecharacter hereinbefore described in end-to-end relation and corre---spondingly increasing the number of sections of which the top iscomposed.

I This feature of the invention is so obvious that it has not beenthought necessary to illustrate the same. V l r Instead 15 providing atop which is removable,

relative to the supporting structure, one or both of itssections 6amaybe permanently connected toithe end-sections of the structure asillustrated in Figures 4,5 and 9 of the drawings. The connectionsbetween the top 5a and the supporting frame are established .by means.of hinges '25 which are of compositeconstruction, so that the topsections may bellifted and turned over and around the rails I211.- ofthe respective ends of the frame and then lowered in a folded condition'to hang parallel to and outside the ends as shown in Figure 5. Theframein this modification com- ,p risesl'egs I 0d rigidly. connected in pairsby transverse frame rails [2a. The, pairs of connected legs, whichconstitute theends of the supporting structure, are connected by siderails,

each composed of hingedly connected normally It will be understood .thatthe-top and frame areidentical with the corresponding parts illustratedin Fig- In the conbeing fastened inside the end railsand under the top,respectively. It will be understood that one or more of these hinges maybe applied at one or both ends of the frame;

'Oneadvantage of the last described modification is that thebrace-element of the firstv described form of the invention may bedispensed with, since the top-sections, permanently connected at theends of the supporting frame and abutting one another in end-to-endrelation, will hold the frame against collapse.

Another advantageous feature of the modified construction is that thetop-sections may be placedin a folded condition upon the supportingframe in a totally or partially collapsed condition, to provide a tableof smaller dimensions.

Thus a table made according to the present invention may be used as adining room table .or'a library table, or it may be reduced in size foruse as a card table or as a side table. The last mentioned use has beenillustrated in Figure 9, in which one section of the table is shown in asuspended position, While the other section in a folded condition restsupon the supporting frame.

The table has been shown as placed against a wall 26 of the room. 7 r

' Other modifications of the invention may be resorted 'to within thescope of the hereunto appended claims;

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A table comprising a frame having supporting ends and foldingside-rails connecting said ends, a brace-element composed of twomembers, one of which extends between the ends, and another of whichextends between the side-rails,

and a top resting on the frame.

I 2. A table comprising a frame having supporting endsand foldingside-rails connecting said ends, a brace-element composed of twopivctally connected members one of which extends between ends,v abrace-element composed of two members,

one of which is seated upon the ends, and another of which extendsbetween the side-rails, and a .top resting on the frame.

4. A table comprising a frame having support- ,ing] ends, side-railsconnecting said ends, each side-rail comprising a stud fastened to anendmember, a member hinged to the stud,-and a second member hinged tothefirst-mentioned member and having its opposite end hinged to anendmember, the studs of the respective siderails being at diagonallyopposite points of the frame, and a top resting on the frame.

. FRANK PECK.

